Phonograph indicator



Oct. 20, 1942.

D. C. ROCKOLA PHONOGRAPH INDICATOR Filed Feb. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l David C. Pac/Fola Oct 20, 1942. D. ROCKOLA PHONOGBAPH INDICATOR Filed Feb. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ?aez d V Oct. '20, 1942 PHONOGRAPH INDICATOR David C. Rockola, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rock- Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a co-poration of Delaware Application February 3, 1940, Serial No. 31.7,051

3 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs, and more particularly to automatic multi-record phonographs having a selecting mechanism for efiecting reproduction of a selected record.

It is the purpose of the device herein illustrated to provide an automatic multi-record phonograph including means for rendering a visual indication of the record being reproduced thereby. While a particular type of automatic multi-record phonograph mechanism has been illustrated herein to show the adaptation of the invention, it is to be understood that it is applicable to other types of phonograph mechanisms, all coming within the contemplated scope of this invention.

Music and musicians can seldom be identified by a person who is unfamiliar with a particular recording, although there is a very definite interest therein. Former automatic multi-record 'phonographs have not provided any indicating means by which the selection being reproduced is quickly ascertainable. It is becoming increasingly popular to enclose the Operating mechanism, and although that mechanism might be observed, it is too difficult for an unskilled observer to determine the number of the reproduced record or the sequcnce of playing a group of selected records. Where there is no visual or other indication of` the record being reproduced, the players who have made selections of groups of records sometime become Confused because the records are not reproduced in the order of selection. It is therefore a very desirable feature to provide means for automatically and clearly indicating the record being reproduced by such machines.

An object of this invention is to provide a selective multi-record phonograph including an indicating means which visually shows which record is being reproduced by the phonograph.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selective multi-record phonograph including an indicating device automatically controlled by a moving part of the record selecting mechanism of the phonograph for providing an indication o! the record being reproduced, while it is being reproduced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to features of Construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideratlonof the following specification and accompanying drawing& wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross secphonograph including a preferred embodiment of my invention; v

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top view taken substantially on a line 2-2 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side View showing the adaptation of a preferred embodiment of my invention ,to the phonograph mechanism illustrated in Figure l, but viewed from the opposite side. r

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line d- -t of Figure 3, looking in the directon of the arrows.

Although not considered to be limited to the particular type of phonograph mechanism disclosed, the mechanism herein illustrated to a sufiicient extent to show, and for the purpose of showing the operation and adaptation of the invention, is substantially similar to that disclosed and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,159,834. Reference is hereby and herein made to that patent for a more complete disclosure and description of the details of structure and operation of the phonograph mechanism. Having been described in detail in the said Letters Patent, such details of the phonograph mechanism will be more generally described herein.

,General i In considering the phonograph as herein contemplated, the record reproducing means shall be understood to include the tone arm, ampli fier, sound reproducer and such parts which are ,necessary for the reproduction of a record; the

record changing mechanism shall be understood to include the record selecting and delivering mechanism which delivers a preselected record to the reproducing means for reproduction; the record selector or selecting mechanism comprises the part of the record Changer which accom-' tional view clone type of automatic multi-record a mounting panel C, commonly referred to 'as a motor board. having an aperture D therein,

and carries above the mounting panel -a tumtable, which is not shown, a tone or pick-*up arm E which is a part of recordlplaying or reproducing means, a record carrier supporting assembly F, a plurality of pivoted, ring-shaped record carriers or trays G arranged one above another in column or staked relationship and `swingable to and from cooperating relationship with the turntable, and record carrier supports such as H which provide individual supports for each record carrier or tray G.

Below the mounting panel C the chassis 'B of the selector shaft IS is rotatably mounted between spaced lugs 24 on the slide 20 and held in position by stra 25 which extends between the lugs 24 and is secured thereto. An arm 25 is secured to the lower end of the shaft IS i below the lugs 24 and extends into an aperture carries a master cam I and driving means J e for driving the cam I. v

Phonographs of the class herein disclosed are usually, but not necessariiy, controlled by coin operated or coin released means and have var- A ious control devices for affecting automatic operation of the record changing and reproducing apparatus. The operation of the control means is 'such that the cam driving means J eflects movement of and controls the position of the master cam I. Rotation of the master cam I ro- `tates the shaft upon which the master cam is secured. Upon rotation, the master cam I With one of the record carriers G in position for cooperation with the turntable, the tumtable in its movement passes through the 'record carrier and removes therefrom the record which is carried thereby. The turntable continues to move to bring the record into reproducing en-' gagemen't with the tone-arm E. Upon completion of the reproduction of the record, the master cam I effects return movement of the cam' follower K, slide L and tumtable to replace the record inthe record carrier from which it was removed.

` In the'phonograph disclosed heren, the record carriers G are pivoted on a post |2 between successive discs |3 in the supporting assembly F. Latch members l4 are provided on each of the record carriers G which are selectively operable by a selector !5 carried at one end of a rockable and longitudinally reciprocable shaft !6,

which shaft is slidably journaled in a selector control frame M. The selector control frame M is secured to the front of the chassis B. The selector is of plate-like Construction and has a cam surface I'I. Upon operation of theselector !5, the cam surface l'l eflects ,release of 'the latch member l4 with which it is aligned.

When any latch member |4 is released, rotation of the corresponding record carrier about the post |2 is effected to align that record carrier with the turntable. The record carrier Swinging means'includes. a yoke l'l which extends around the discs |3 and is connected at one end to the post l2. This yoke'member is actuated by the master cam I to control the movement 4 a driving connection between the cam lever and the shaft for rocking the shaft about its v scribed.

in the slide so that the slide and shaft reciprocate tog ther. The arm 26 is rockabie with the shaft s during the rotation of the shaft for opend which swings through the aperture in the slide during such rotary movement of the shaft for atpu'pose which will be more fully de- A cam roller or follower 21 projects from the rear face of the slide 20 and engages the master cam M for effecting the reciprocating movement of the slide 20 and the shaft 16; the cam follower 21 being adapted to cooperate with the cam rail 28 of the master cam I.` The cam rail 28 is adapted to raise the slide 20 to a position such that the selector !5 is moved to a level above the uppermost latch member V releasing finger |4 where the selector is normally held during inoperative periods of the phonograph mechanism. Upon starting the phonograph mechanism the cam rail 28 efiects rapid and silent lowering of the cam follower 21 and therewith the lowering of the selector shaft s and ,the selector |5 prior to the rotation of the serods 30 has collars orfianges such as 3| to control the limits of movement thereof with respect to the selector control frame M. The rods 30 extend through openings in the plate 33 and the flanges or collars 3! normally engage one surface of that plate. The rods 30 are slidably mounted in a front selector frame member 34 and are slidable inwardly to a positionsuch as that indicated by the rod 30a for the preselection of a predetermined record. The outer ends of the rods serve as pushbuttons for making the selection. The plate 33 is supported on pins for movement toward and .away from the front selector frame member 34 and coil springs 36 which surround the pins 35 yieldably hold the plate 33 in spaced relation with respect to the selector frame member. Each of the rods 30 has a shoulder such as 31' which'is adapted to engage the plate 33 when the rod is moved inwardly to the selecting position and movement of the plate 33 toward the selector frame mernber34 by manual operation of a push button 38 restores all of the rods which have been moved to a selecting position to normal positions. The push button 38 'is connected to the plate' 33 through a lever 39. A- plurality of the rods 30 may be moved into the path of the pivoted -plate '28 by inward movement of a pin 40.'

As the slide 20 moves upwardly in the operation oi' the mechanism,` the pivoted plate 20 engages the inner end or 'ends of any of the rods 30 which have been moved inwardly to a selecting position as described above and is swung downwardly from a. horizontal position by such engagement. A bell crank lever 42, which is pivoted at 43, insures the return of the plate to the horizontal position when the slide 26 has reached the uppermost limit'` of 'its movement. Hence, as th slide moves downwardly the plate 28 engages the uppermost rod 38 which has been moved to a selecting position to arrest the downward movement of the slide. Stopping of the -downward movement of the slide stops the selector l5 at the elevation of the latch member l4 which controls the record carrier of the selected record. If none of the rods have been moved to a selecting position, the downward movement of the slide will be arrested by engagement of the plate 28 with the pin 40 at the lower end of the travel of the slide plate.

A'plate 44 is pivotally supported with respect to the slide 20 at 45 and has a projecting portion 46 below the plate 28 and opposite the end of the rod 38 upon which the plate 28 'is testing. The plate 44 is biased toward the slide 26 by pin and spring Construction illustrated at 41. shaft !6, which eects release of the selected record carrier, rotates the arm 26 and that arm engages the plate 44 to effect automatic restoration of the rod 36 against which the plate 28 is resting. It is important to note that the return of the rod is eiected during the selection of a record so that the depression of a rod *provides no indication of the record being reproduced during the time of reproduction.

The selector is supported subsequent to the return of the rod 38 by means including a reciprocable pawl 48 which is biaseci in one direction by a spring 49. A lever 50, which is pivoted at 52, controls the operation of the pawl 48.

Visual indicating means 56 is rotatably supported on a shaft 52,` which shaft is supported from the top of the record carrier supporting assembly F by bracket 53. The shaft 52 is secured to an upper bracket 54 by a screw 55 which extends through a'n opening in that upper bracket and is threaded into the end of the shaft. The upper bracket 54 has elongated openings 56 therein and is secured to the lower bracket 51 by screws 58. The upper bracket is laterally adjustable with respect to the lower bracket when the screws 58 are loosened, due to the elongation of the openings 56. The lower bracket 51 is secured to the top of the record carrier supporting assembly by screws 59.

The Visual indicating means 56 comprises a drum assembly 60 having secured thereto, by rivets or other suitable fastening means 63, an

indication carrying means or rim 63 which is preferably transparent or translucent and has numbers thereon, as shown in Figure 2, which' correspond to the record carriers of the .phonograph mechanism. The drum assembly has a flanged outer plate 64 and a fiat central plate 65 flanged plate 69 and the indicating means or rim 63 may be circumferentially adjusted with respect to the plates 64 and 65. The three plates 64, 65 and 69 together provide a double drum or pulley having separated grooves 73 and 14 for the accommo'dation and winding of a flexible belt 15. The belt 15 is secured to the central plate 65 and extends through an opening 16 therein; the belt being' wound in the 'grooves 13 and 14 in such a way that rotation of the drum 60 in one direction Winds' the belt around the drum in one of the grooves and unwinds the belt from around the drum in the other" of the grooves. The belt extends around an idler pulley 'l'l which is rotatably secured to the mounting panel C by a bracket 18; the bracket 18 being secured to the mounting panel 'by a screw 'IS and the shaft for the pulley 'H being secured to the bracket by a Rotary movement of the selector i which are secured to a hub 66 between` a shoulder 61 on the hub and an edge 68 which is swaged over against the plate 64. A second or inner fianged plate 69 is adjustably secured to the plates 64 and 65 by screws 10 which' extend through,

nects the ends of the belt and keeps the belt taut.

The spring 86 extends through an opening 81 in an arm 88 which arm is rotatably secured to the upper end of the selector shaft !6 between a collar 89, which is secured to the shaft by a pin 90, and a plate 92, which is secured to the shaft 'by a screw 83. Longitudinal movement of the spring 86 with respect to the arm 88 is prevented by the strip 83 which is secured to the arm 88 by a screw 94 and engages the spring 86 between the turns thereof. The belt 15 consequently follows axial movement of the selector shaft !6 to rotate the drum 66 to a position corresponding to the elevation of the shaft.

Auxiliary brackets 95 and 96 are secured to the ends of the shaft 52, the bracket 96 being secured thereto by the' screw 55 and the bracket 95 being secured thereto by a screw 91 which extends through an opening in the .bracket and is threaded into the end of the shaft. Th'e auxiliary bracket 95 holds the hub 66 in position on the shaft 52 between that bracket and a shoulder 98 on the shaft. The auxiliary brackets 95 and 66 have a bezel plate 89 secured thereto by spot the cabinet A which houses the phonograph mech'anism.

The drum 60 and pulley 'H are preferably so aligned that the side-of the belt 15, which is connected to the arm 88 on the selector shaft l6, is substantially parallel to the axis of the selector shaft. Since the selector shaft moves vertically in the selection of a record and remains at a level corresponding to the level of a selected record carrier during the reproduction of the record and the indicating means has a position determined by the vertical position of the selector shaft, the indicating means provides a visual in-.

dication of the record which is being reproduced during the time that it is being reproduced. Since the arm`88 is rotatable with 'respect to the shaft i 6, the rotary movement of that shaft in the selection of a record does not interfere with -the proper alignment of the belt between the As indicated in Figure 1, the bezel plate.

puile'ys. However. if the arm 88 should become locked on the shaft IS, the spring 86 would prevent breakage of the belt or interference by the belt with the proper rotation of the selector shaft.

While I have described a preferred embodi-` ment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit oi' the inv'ention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In co'nbination with an oscillatory and longitudinally reciprocable selector actuating shaft of a multi-record automatic phonograph adapted to reproduce selected records, means to visually indicate any record being reproduced comprising a movable indicating element, and flexible means interconnecting the movable indicating element and said selector actuating shaft, said ir'terconnecting means being operative only for mov'mg said indicating element upon reciprocation oi the selector 'actuating shai't, whereby said shaft may be oscillated without alte'ing the adjustment of said indicating element.

2. 'In combination with an oscillatory and lon- `gitudinally recip'rocable selector actuating shaft of a multi-record automatic phonograph adapted 25 necting said belt to said shaft for reciprocating &299348 I to reproduce selected records, means to visually indicate any record being reproduced comprising a rotatably mountedindicating element having apulley thereon, an idler pulley, a belt extending over said pulleys and having its ends connected `by a tension' spring, the spring being disposed adjacent an end of said'shaft, and a member connected to said spring and shalt for reciprocation with the shaft and being rotatable relative thereto.

3. In combination with an oscillatory and longitudinally reciprocable selector actuating shait of a multi-record automatic phonograph adapted i to reproduce selected records, means to'visually.

indicate any record being reproduced comprising movements therewith only.

DAVID C. ROCKOLA. 

